Background

Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) is the regional transportation, growth management, and economic development planning agency for the central Puget Sound—King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties. At PSRC, cities, counties, ports, transit agencies, tribes, and the state work together on regional issues.

PSRC is the steward of Vision 2050, the guiding planning document for the Puget Sound region. Vision 2050 is instrumental in identifying regional goals, and the policies and processes our collective jurisdictions need to get there. As the region plans for 1.8 million additional people and 1.2 million new jobs by 2050, Vision 2050 provides a blueprint for sustaining a healthy environment, thriving communities, and a strong economy.

Get engaged

The Vision 2050 update is a great opportunity for the community to learn more about the population, housing, andtransportation challenges in the Puget Sound region, and help shape the vision for the region’s next 30 years. PSRC wants to hear from you:

There will be future opportunities—surveys, workshops, comment periods—for the public to give feedback on Vision 2050. TCC will continue to send out notices for when you can get involved.

Our comments

The framework and policies in Vision 2050 set an ambitious and inspirational future, but we need better ways of understanding how these policies translate into practice. Our comments build on our intersectional coalition work that views growth and transportation as catalysts for better environmental, health, and social equity outcomes, in addition to our workon PSRC’s Transportation 2040 plan.

As PSRC updates Vision 2050, we hope they will consider the following:

LEAD WITH RACE AND SOCIAL EQUITY

When controlling for other factors, race is the biggest determinant in many quality of life issues, including life expectancy. It is critical to consider how all parts of the Vision 2050 process can help end race and income disparities. For example, PSRC can create and use racial and social equity tools for PSRC policy development and engagement processes, and as a resource for member jurisdictions to use in comprehensive plan development and outreach.

FOCUS ON IMPLEMENTATION AND ACCOUNTABILITY

The plan’s regional goals paint an idyllic picture of the Puget Sound. But how are we making progress on this vision, and what we can do—as a region and through local jurisdictions—to realize these goals? In order to understand whether our policies and implementation tactics are working, we need to develop holistic, community driven performance metrics and robust quantifiable targets to measure progress.

REFINE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND DECISION-MAKING

PSRC can continue to resource community-based organizations and community partners, and identify ways to incorporate community feedback, participation, and needs early and often throughout the process.

EMPHASIZE POLICIES ON HEALTH, EQUITY, AND THE ENVIRONMENT

How do we bring policies that focus on the wellbeing of our people and planet to the forefront? With widening income gaps, the suburbanization of poverty, increasing transportation related fatalities and health impacts, deteriorating water quality, and an imminent climate crisis, the Vision 2050 update is a great opportunity to identify how we can use these core values as a screen in all of PSRC’s work.